Belinda Chorley – Celebrity Corsetiere – Part 3, ‘I use the corset as a foundation and now I can drape over the top…’ Weird is definitely not an association one would make with this phenomenal, ruched scarlett dress, which envelopes the figure and perfectly captures the essence of Old Hollywood glamour; expertly tailored to embrace Dita’s love of vintage fashion.

Dita Von Teese wearing Westwood, Corset by Belinda Chorley

‘I can speak on behalf of Vivienne I would say, that, Dita became her muse for a little while… she would wear Pearl’s corsets, you know, Mr Pearl, she would wear Westwood’s corsets… as long as it reduced her waist she’d be quite happy to wear it…’ Mr. Pearl refers to acclaimed corsetier Mark Pullin – a favourite of the celebrity tightlacer’s and an iconic genius within his design field. ‘I did make one of the corset bases for her to get married in,’ a short pause is followed by a personal story.

In short it remains unknown as to whether Dita wore the corset; it is also unknown as to whether Angelina Jolie wore the one specially crafted for her during the 2003 blockbuster, Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life. The corset was intended to be worn by Angelina beneath her rubber wetsuit, and was created using layered mesh for a seamless finish. Yet after five hours on set (part of which was spent playing with the movie star’s son Maddox) Chorley was informed that Angelina was rather adamant about working out instead, to achieve a more naturally contoured figure.

Belinda Chorley – Celebrity Corsetiere – Part 3

Belinda Chorley’s Principles

In all of her work for Beyond Burlesque, Belinda is guided by personal beliefs and ethical principles concerning design, fashion, production standards and the environment. Let her explain…

Design“I believe in the principles of Japanese design. Even simple kimonos were made more elaborate on the inside, akin to some of the corset-based dresses I make for Beyond Burlesque. Only you know of the intricate structure underneath and feel the sensation of silk against your skin.”

Production
“I keep production in the UK and use British suppliers. This keeps the air miles in my garments down and keeps the local economy going. Fabric scraps and remnants are either made into small waspie corsets or given to local schools.”